The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-08-11

How the Rebels We're Driven from the Capital OF
Mississippi.


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Comrade A.
l.. Brown. OF the 4th Mimi, writes Of the Jack
son affair, and of the brave man who riskcd
SO much in order 20 place the Stars and Stripes
on the state-h0use. i would ask Comrade
Brown who did the fghtingY Who drove the
Johnnies out of jackson aud made IL possible
and absolutely safe for any man, woman or
child 10 hoist Gag on the Capitol huildingg
Was il the 4th Mimi. or the 59th Indy don't
think IL was. Was il Shermap's COrpsg
will tell you. IL was the 10th Mo-, SOth
Ohio and l7th Iowa. The seth H., which was
Ia the same brigade was not present AZ the
battle. but was guarding supplies. The tour
regiments above named composed the Second
Brigade Seventh Division Seventeenth Corps.
The brigade WAS commanded by Col. Holmes,
OF the l0th Mo-, and the division by Gen. Nj.
NJ. Crocks. / remember the hard rain we
had the night of the 18Th. We were then
about Is miles from jackson. Early on the
moraing Of the l4ih we were on the move east
waid. Roads were very muddy, and the rain
was still coming down in torrents Our sklr-
mishers s0on found a few of the enemy, who
fell back as our lines advanced without much
resistance. Tie Second Brigade still moved
on til we were brought TO n halt, because our
skinnishers could advance no further on &C
count OF the enemy.
Tho brigade was then thrown into line Of
hattie On the right was the 10th No. in an
open field; the S0th Ohio came next also IN the
open field, with lett flank touching the Nicks-
burg and Jackson wagon-road; the 18th Iowa
formed with its right flank on this road, eX-
tending TO the north, and in heavy timber and
brush. As we advanced VIC came TO where the
uHderbrush had been cleared Oft leaving the
/ larger timber. We advanced TO within 30 yards
or less oi the sllrmish-ine, when we lay down
and I" aaiteaea out as the boys called It,
Nc lay here till we were somewhat rested,
when the order was given to ok bayonets.
! This order was Obeyed while We lay In line.
4 Our next order WAS 10 charge at doube-quick.
/ No sooner was the command given than II was
obeyed. The result WAS, the enemy was COM
pletely routed from tho liattle-line. from their
! intrenchments aud forts, and from their camps
in the rear, and from the city. While the
enemy were in full retreat and going at a
brea6neck gait the 18th Iowa rallied on the
cOors, and with all the patriotism, vim and
power Of voice that they could command. sang
thai grand old song. Yes, Well Rally Round
! the Flag Boys" ] never heard it sung before
nor since when IL sounded so well nor so appro.
pirate ] expect some OF the Johnnies heard
the singing. too.
IN this hattie the 18th Iowa lost 16 killed and
90 wonnded--in all 60 The 10th Mo. and SOth
! Ohio each lost as many, or more. There was
also q battery that did good work. IL was
moved 10y hand, and kept right in the main
road and in line with the 18th Iowa and 6Oth
Ohio. ] don't claim the honor Of planting our
/ flag on any fort, State or courthouse, but will
say that don't think that the 18th Iowa boys
would allow any man from another regiment
/ or any Captain, Colonel OF General 10 take our
flag and plant IL Tor us We planted our own
flag; we could do IL 70 suit us better than any
one else.
The 9TH MINI. and 59th Ind were grand
regiments but IL either OF them did any fight
ing on the l4th of May. 1863, at jackson, 1 am
DOT aware Of it. In Grants " Memoirs" Vol. i,
page sos. ho states McPboTsOn's loss at 81 killed
aid Dps wounded-total ~ Sherman lost
iour killed aud II wounded and missing-total
25. This shows what corps did the fighting,
aud as the Second Brigade Of the Seventh Di-
vision, Seventeenth Corps WAS all that was
engaged lthe remainder being in close support
! ing distance, ] claim that the honor Of captur-
ing jackson properly belongs 20 the Second
| Brigade. or 10 the 10th No., 18th Iowa and 60th
| Ohio. We did not care or think Of hosting
| flags on Capit0is. but helped ourselves TO cooked
| grub that the gOhnnies had been chased away
from at dinner time. That night we camped
in jackson, held mock Legislature, and passed
an act 10 pay the boys of, which was done in
Confederate scrip, there being any quantity OF
IL, aud If il had been worth anything we would
have been rich. But the boys were pretty ex
travaeRnt, and they would use a $500 or 81 ,00(
bin 10 light pipe or cigar. Tobacco and cigar
were plenty here and all who indnlged in the
weed laid in supply. The next day as We
marched back in the direction Of Nicksburg
! cloud of smoke arose from our regiment thai
| perhaps would have obscured them from the
view Of the rebel host that might have beer
in pursuit had they not been =" licked the day
before.-L. 4. PARRISH, 60. q, 18th Iowa
RRvRnna, Mo.